The original 1993 edition of "The Painter's Handbook" was not just another guide to artist's materials; it established itself as an amazingly thorough professional resource, with complete details on the vast array of materials available to the artist, including canvases and papers, sizes and grounds, pigments and binders, solvents and thinners, varnishes and preservatives. The book also contains dozens of step-by-step recipes for making art materials, including made at home or the studio paints, pastels, varnishes, gessoes, sizes, supports, and equipment. "The Painter's Handbook", revised and expanded, is a thoroughly revised edition of the original publication.
It has been updated to accommodate the enormous changes in the art materials world during the past decade: in which many new kinds of revolutionary paints and pigments have entered the market; new health issues are addressed concerning outmoded and even harmful materials and practices; and new ASTM standards - of which the author Mark Gottsegen is the chairman of this government committee to set standards for the performance, quality, and health labelling of artist's paints and related materials - on light fastness and the general longevity of art materials are provided.